KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — Parchment City Commissioners are handing off their water system to the Kalamazoo City Utility to effectively end the PFAS contamination crisis.
During Monday night’s meetings between the two, Kalamazoo agreed to purchase the water system for over $492,000 dollars assuming responsibility for operations, maintenance and repairs.
Parchment’s Water Department has had an interim contract to buy water from the larger utility which was hastily arranged after the discovery of the contamination last summer. This provides a permanent solution.
Mayor Bobby Hopewell says it’s what good neighbors do and the deal should strenghten relationships between the two.
He singled out Utilities Director James Baker and his staff for their swift response to the crisis and their follow-through, which produced Monday night’s contract.
Yet to be determined is how to extend the municipal water to those homeowners in Cooper Township who are currently using filters to clean the water coming from their contaminated private wells.
(copy written by John McNeill)
